The Second Amendment cannot supersede the Declaration of Independence

In the wake of yet another murderous rampage in which 17 high school students and faculty were slaughtered by a disturbed youth lawfully armed with an easily purchased weapon of war, the junior senator from Iowa again followed the National Rifle Association playbook. Joni Ernst robotically tweeted this pious platitude: “Please join me in praying for the students, faculty and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, as well as their loved ones.” She later opined that “Bad people are going to do bad things if there’s not interventions out there.” But, perish the thought that one such intervention might involve reasonable gun safety measures. Why not? Because she wants “to protect our Second Amendment right.”

We can passionately debate the original intent of the Second Amendment, the meaning of the words “People,” “militia” and “arms,” as well as how properly to interpret the phrase “well-regulated.” But, the Second Amendment of the Constitution cannot be allowed to supersede our Declaration of Independence, which proclaims the unalienable rights of all citizens to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The protection of these fundamental rights is the very reason why we have a government of, by and for the people. We are truly doomed as a nation if we sacrifice these unalienable rights to a profiteering special interest lobby.